Williams won the Saturday Night 30 lap event while Mike Straton of Camden Delaware won the 25 lap opener Friday evening. For the Lee Webber Classic Division it was two Merrittville regulars winning the features as Jeff Johnson won Saturday’s 25 lap event and 2006 Point Champion Wayne Robins won the 20 lap opener Friday evening. 

Williams from Pennellville NY received a $500 bonus as the two day Mod Lite champion while Hay of Somerset PA received $250 as overall Lee Webber Classic Champion. 

Rob Murray was also a big winner as the St. Catharines driver won Friday Night’s 50 lap Daytona Automotive Equipment 50 lap Duel on the Dirt Event against the Brighton Speedway Pro Stocks and then followed it up by winning the 50 lap Street Stock Open Saturday evening. The two wins earned Murray $2000. 

Friday Night also saw the Niagara Auto Sales 4 Cylinder Trucks in action that regularly compete at the Humberstone Speedway and Kevin Aube won the event. 

Saturday Night had the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Division return for their final event of the season and Rob Goulding won the 20 lap Feature.  

Friday Night’s action found Merrittville regular Chris Steele first to lead the 25lap Mod Lit Feature before one of many cautions slowed the pace on lap 2. Mikey Hay took control of top spot before the caution but on the restart, Steele and Hay were side by side before Hay found the advantage.  

Seven times Hay’s patience would be tested with cautions slowing the pace before lap 13 but on each restart he would regain control of top spot. 

Unfortunately a lap 19 caution would be for the leader as a collapsed right front suspension found Hay slowing to a stop in turn 4. Mike Straton became the new leader with one final incident on lap 23 slowing the field after Merrittville regular James Curran stopped in turn 2. 

In the two lap dash to the finish Straton kept top spot with Dan Williams, Ken Gamlen of Cicero NY, Merrittville regular Adam Murphy and Lynn Knepper of Somerset PA as the top 5. 

“My Pro Chassis car was awesome,” relates Mike Straton in Merrittville Victory Lane, “ the Crutchfield engine ran great too … everybody did a heck of a job … I’m tickled to death to be here.” 

Friday Night’s Lee Webber Classic 20 lap Feature was all about 2006 Merrittville Speedway Premier Mademoiselle Fitness Centers Point Champion Wayne Robbins. 

Robbins led all 20 laps and during extended green flag runs was able to open up considerable leads on the race for second which had Mikey Hay and Andrew Schartner of Weedsport NY in quite a battle. 

“ All in all it was a good season,” reveals Robbins on his 2nd straight title, “ we had some close racing and it made for a close points race … tonight I didn’t know who was around me and where … the car was so good – I just pushed it every lap.” 

At the finish, Hay, Schartner, Mall Hay also of Somerset PA and Sam Morse of Camden NY followed Robbins as the top 5.The Niagara Auto Sales 4 Cylinder Truck 20 lap Feature had Mike Peterson in control at the drop of the green before Rob Anthes took control on lap 2. Anthes led until lap 13 when Kevin Aube took control of top spot. Through to the finish, it was 9 time Humberstone Speedway winner Aube out front with Anthes, Doug Banner, Ed McNamara and Don Lessard as the top 5. 

Aube also won the July 8th Merrittville visit. 

The 50 lap Duel on the Dirt Feature saw an all Brighton Automotive Pro Stock front row with Ron Wadworth and Zeke McKeown leading the 31 car field to the initial green flag with Wadworth first to lead. 

2006 Merrittville Speedway Hoosier Stock Points Champion Billy Hogue was an early challenger to Wadworth but the visiting driver retained top spot. A lap 3 caution would find Wadworth in control but Hogue pulled alongside – taking the lead along the backstretch. A couple of cautions put Hogue and Wadworth into a see saw battle for top spot with Hogue in front until a lap 14 caution that saw Duel on the Dirt Point Leader Brandon Gregory slow with a flat tire. The incident also saw Merrittville regulars Russ Davidson and Shayne Pierce head pitside. 

Rob Murray took control of the runner-up spot just before a lap 29 caution for debris on the track stalled his charge. Hogue set the pace on the restart before Murray was able to take control. After another caution on lap 32, Hogue, Jeff Dayman and Wadworth were involved in quite a battle for runner-up spot. 2006 Rookie Cody McPherson lost control of his car while running in fifth spot on lap 39 spoiling a great run for the 4th generation driver. 

Just after McPherson’s misfortune, Rick Beales developed his own as the race was red-flagged for an oil fire in Beales’ engine compartment.

When racing resumed, another caution slowed Murray’s pace. In the closing laps with Murray out front the race was for the runner-up spot between Hogue, Dayman and Wadworth. 

At the finish behind Murray it was Hogue and Wadworth as the top three while Dayman settled for fourth. Defending Duel on the Dirt Champion Mike Dooley was fifth. Interestingly, as Hogue joined Murray and Wadworth on the front-stretch – one of Hogue’s tires went flat. 

Hogue’s 2nd place finish moved him into the lead in the over all Duel on the Dirt Point Standings while Hogue’s Team Merrittville leads the team standings going into the rain-delayed event at the Brighton Speedway rescheduled for Saturday September 23rd. 

“There’s a lot of fast cars here tonight,” remarks Murray, adding, “ I worked my way to the front and paced myself … for everyone that is involved in staging the Duel on the Dirt …we appreciate everyone’s support.” 

Merrittville Speedway regular Shawn Sliter was first to lead the Saturday Night 30 lap Mod Lite Main Event as the J&S Heating Rose Webber International Classic entered Night Two. 

Sliter’s pace was immediately slowed for caution and on the restart the new leader was Mikey Hay. Through a couple restarts in the early going, Hay and Dan Williams staged quite a battle for the lead before Friday Night winner Mike Straton slowed in turn 4.  

Prior to the caution, Merrittville Regular Paul Klager had charged from 14th starting spot to break into the top 5. On the restart it was Williams in control before Sliter lost control of his car after contact with Klager.When action resumed, the race was red-flagged after rookie Merrittville driver Andy Tallman flipped his car between turns 1 and 2. 

Prior to the final caution on lap 28, Williams had managed to pull away to quite a lead on the field and in the two lap dash to the finish – maintained top spot. 

Paul Klager had quite a run to take the runner-up spot while hay had to settle for third. Shawn Sliter recovered to take 4th while fellow Merrittville driver Todd Kendrick was 5th. 

“I just love his track,” reveals an overwhelmed Dan Williams in Victory Lane, “ I really like a slick track.”  

“This means a lot … there’s lots of competition,” said Shawn Sliter, adding, “ that earlier incident … Paul was going around – I tried to straighten him out … it just didn’t work good for me.” 

Saturday’s 25 lap Lee Webber Classic Feature had Andrew Schartner in control before a familiar face took control to complete lap 1. Wayne Robbins picked up where he left off the night before – setting the pace until Matt Hay took control of top spot on lap 10. Hay led until Robbins regained top spot on lap 15 but Hay soon regained the lead. 

One driver on the move in the latter stages was Jeff Johnson in the Dave Ackler # 7. Johnson took control of the runner-spot on lap 18 Lap 23 saw Johnson take over the lead – holding the top spot through to the finish. Mikey Hay rallied to take the runner-up spot with Frank Sobotka of Parish NY also getting by Matt Hay for third. Behind Hay was Merrittville regular Kory Howe. 

“Late in the year I had some engine problems,” relates Jeff Johnson, “ I went to my car owner (Ackler) wondering what I would do for tonight’s race … and he said …. just run my car.” 

Brighton Speedway regular Ron Wadworth was looking for continued success in his Merrittville double-header and was first to lead the 50 lap $1000 to win Street Stock Open Event. In the first third of the race, Wadworth continued to lead the field into slower cars with Rob Murray eventually catching up to him. 

The two soon got into a side by side battle before Murray took control along the back-stretch of lap 22.Just past halfway Murray’s pace was slowed on two occasions but again the M1 Camaro was the class of the field. 

“The first part of the year was tough,” reveals Murray in Merrittville Victory Lane for the second time in 24 hours, “ we tried some ideas I didn’t like … the crew has been working night and day and finally the car’s come around.”

 Murray was followed by Wadworth, Hogue, Dayman and Car #3. 

The 20 lap Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Feature had Rob Goulding in control at the start. Goulding quickly pulled away to a comfortable lead over Charlie Lynch who had also distanced himself from the field. As the race neared half-way, Lynch’s advantage lessened as the Smalls – James and his son – 2006 Point Champion Dave Small were on the move. 

James Woods scraped the front stretch wall and then spun in turn 2 bringing out the caution and on the restart Goulding and James Small pulled away from the field. James Small was now being challenged by rookie Ken Kadwell.  

At the finish, Goulding opened up almost a ½ lap lead over James Small with Kadwell taking third. Dave Small and Tony Kelly closed out the top 5. 

“Everyone laughed when I brought this car out,” said Goulding in Victory Lane,” it proves that you can get any car to work … the guys are getting better and better … I’ve been trying to help as best I can.” 

“This year’s been a blast,” the comments of Point Champion Dave Small, “ I had some trouble after my heat and everyone came over trying to help.”  

In the post race interview, Small revealed that a move to the Hoosier Stock Division in 2007 is a possibility – depending on how off season plans come together. 

Pit Notes – Saturday Night’s program also featured a number of draws including the 2006 Raceline Radio 105.1 The River Super Fan Contest that saw Mark Joliffe win tickets to the Bank of America 500 at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway this October in Charlotte North Carolina. 

Paul Klager also conducted draws as part of the Mackenzie Klager Fundraiser for Help a Child Smile and Ronald McDonald House. 

“ Between Merrittville, Humberstone, Lincoln Soccer, Grantham Optimist Baseball and Shawn Sliter and our friends at Modern Corporation  … almost $6,000 was raised,” announced Klager, “ I’ve got to thank everyone that helped out … there’s really nothing that compares to the racing community.” 

For further information on the 2007 Rose Webber Memorial International – visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com as the Thorold track’s 56th consecutive season approaches.

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